Hi, - Anyone in the know!
from a recent Achilles' tendon rupture, I was given an airwalker boot with 3 heel lifts but when I returned to the fracture clinic was given a fourth heel lift in my boot.
I am now nearly 4 weeks down eh line and have been told to take out a heel lift every 2 weeks. Can anyone tell me which one I need to take out first stupidly forgot to ask the hospital and getting different answers.
Thanks Kazza
Best thing is to call the hospital and ask them
Hi Imran,
i have can't seem to get correct answer so whilst I am waiting thought I would see if anyone else could help.
Thks
I have noticed, no one reply back on this forum.. Lol!! They must have given you a card with Do's and Dont, with the contact number.
So call them
No dos and don't just sent on my merry way, over load on information at the time. It's only when you get home you have questions unanswered. Will keep ringing them.
Keep ringing them and get your answer
NHS is not at all Professional!!
I am surprised!!
So Karen what you do for living are you on sick leave?
Hello Karen,
Following an Achilles tendon rupture, I had a boot with five inserts to raise my heel. I had the same issue as you, knowing which one to remove. I removed the one on the top each time.
The inserts are stacked a bit like a pyramid and each one gets smaller as they are added, the largest one being at the bottom. Each insert is stacked with the back aligned with the back of the boot so that the they slope towards the front to support the arch of your foot. I found that by removing the top one each time the support to my foot was comfortable. Removing the largest one from the bottom made the whole thing more uncomfortable. When subsequently checking with the physiotherapist, she said that it should be the top one that is removed each time.
I hope that helps.
Hi,
Thanks so much for replying< nice to know someone is looking at this site.
I finally got hold of the hospital and they confirmed the same. I think by taking out one of the inserts I feel I am on the way to recovery. Hope you are too, best of luck.
Karen
Hi Karen
Hope you are recovering well.
Just a question, can you take of the boot and take a shower?
Thx
Hi Imran,
All going well, 4 weeks today and just taken out one of my heel lifts.
Yes i I take my boot off to have a shower obviously not putting my foot down on the ground. I am getting quite good at standing on one leg! I like to take my foot out of the boot once a day and just let some air get to it for half an hour with my foot up.
How are you getting on?
Karen
That sound great!!
At least you can have a shower, i have to buy a plasticcover for £20 so it covers the plaster.
They changed the plaster on Monday into a fubre glass its much lighter and the best thing is when i have requested the plaster tecnichen for the fibre glass the advise me we dont have that and when i asked which one is this which you are changing to, she replied its a syntechic .
There are only Two types plaster and fiberglass.
NHS, what can i say!!!
Oh dear, glad I don't have them although this boot can get heavy. Are you not allowed to take your off?
I have a plaster, so cant take it off, you still taking unjections? I am really getting enough of it now!!
Yeah still doing injections, hate it sometimes it stings and some bruising but not all the time. I have another 6 weeks of injections, whoopee!
So you have to wrar the boot for next 6 weeks?
Yeah minimum 6 more weeks in total would have had it on for 10 weeks when I go back to docs end of July and not guarantee it will come off then, bloody hope so! How long us your plaster on for. Strange you don't have a boot but it seems NHS trust do things different all over the country, god knows why
They told me 6 weeks then after 4 weeks they will do ultra sound and i may be allowed to walk on the toes!!
Wow such different approaches. I went to physio today and was hoping for for exercises but told can't run before I walk! I am so ready to get on with the process and feeling frustrated.
I mean, i am in 3rd week now so following Monday ir will be 4 weeks and they will do the ultr sound. And, i may stRt walking on the Toes!! Letssee!!
I dont trust NHS at all!!
Nurse say something different, Doctor advise you again someghing different, where shouldergo??? Very unprofessional !
Thanks Karen, I hope your recovery goes well too. I hope all goes well for you too Imran.
I completed my treatment last year, so I'm back to normal now and can walk as well as I did before. I had an operation in April 2013 to stitch my tendon back together, after a complete tear. Following the operation, I was in a plaster cast for two weeks and when the cast was removed I was given a rigid boot with four heal inserts to wear (in my earlier post I said five, that was wrong, it was in fact four). I wore the boot for thirteen weeks, from late April to late July and throughout that period I had regular physiotherapy appointments at the hospital and was given gentle exercises to do each day at home. After I was allowed to stop wearing the boot in late July, I started doing short walks and short bike rides in the local park and gradually increased the distance each time. This, in conjunction with physio sessions at the hospital, was very helpful in getting me mobile again. I was signed off by the physiotherapy department at the end of September 2013.
It's a long process, six months in my case, so you'll need to be patient and go with the flow. The results will be worth it in the end.
Will